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Quality of Iran's Nuclear Fuel Sheds Doubt on Weapons Capabilities

Posted on: Wednesday, 28 September 2005, 12:00 CDT

Several Western diplomats close to the Iran's nuclear controversy have revealed that the low quality of fuel used at Iran's nuclear plants leaves little possibility of successfully production of nuclear weapons.

The statement comes as the UN nuclear watchdog this weekend recommended that Iran face the UN Security Council for breach of nuclear guidelines and for failing to convince weapons inspectors that its nuclear program is purely for civilian use, according to Reuters.

The revelation would render Iranian threats to resume uranium enrichment empty, as nuclear production requires high-quality gas to fuel power stations-- a component which Iran, according to the statements, does not have.

Referring to the fuel in question, UF6, one western diplomat told Reuters, "I wouldn't say that it's garbage. But the UF6 produced at Isfahan is of such poor quality that if it were fed into centrifuges it could damage them."

A statement issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency earlier this month said that Iran had produced enough fuel to create a single nuclear bomb. However the recent reports would mean that even such production would be of little use if the fuel was low- grade.

One diplomat told reporters, "It makes one wonder why they're so insistent about running (Isfahan) at this point."

However Iran is unlikely to halt its nuclear program at the Isfahan plant as such a move might be perceived as weakness in the face of Western threats, one diplomat said. "It's a question of dignity," he added.

2005 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

Source: Al Bawaba

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